Rail-joint support



' 1,6 2, June 21, 1927. w. G. COUGHLIN 3 998 RAIL JOINT SUPPORT Filed May 1925' Y 2 Sheets-Sheet l l it/111111111111111,

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Vl M v Gtfmnuq June 21, 1927 w, G, couc-:HLIN

RAIL JOINT SUPPORT` Filed May 2. 1925 2 Sheets-52168122 a f77 l /5 a 26 Z ,26' Z7 (553,@3/ /J Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STA-TES PATENT- OFFICE.

j nain-JOINT s 'reonn Application file d May 2, 19'25. Serial Nl'og27,540.

This invention relates to rail joint sup ports and more particularly to non-spacing rail joint supports and rail joint supports of the type adapted to extend over a plurality of ties for the purpose of4 more rigidly supporting` a rail joint.

Itv is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and Iimproved rail joint support.

More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide a rail joint support designed to support the bases 'of j oined rails and maintain them in horizontal alignment when 'under load.

Another object of the present invention consists in the provision of a rail joint support adapted to distribute the `\vei'glit of vhe rails and their load to awplura'ity of cross ties.

A further object of the present invention consists in the provision or' a rail joint support provided with cushion means to 'reduce the injurious effects of hammer blowsV` from wheels jiassing over the joint openings.

Still another object of the present i`nve`n` tion consists in the provision of a rail joint support 4which avoids the necessity of spacin g cross ties at the joint and which allows more latitude in the location ot joints. y A still further object of the present invention consists in the provision of means, which will prevent the driving of the rails, by wedge action, thru the splice bars and of an anti-creeping rail oint which will prevent any longitudinal creeping of the rail in relation vto, either the ties or the oint support.V

The above and further objects of the present invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following' specification, wherein is disclosed a'single exemplary form of the present `invention with the understanding, however, that various changes may be mede therein by these skilled in the art, in the size shape, design, rrnsement Proportion, reati-011,. and 5m21- terial of the various parts without departing j y v j sp ce appliances 'are i'insatisiac'tory The 1nfrorn the spirit of the invention ofthe, seep@ of the yattached claims.

* 11511 Said' drawflss';

Iflinirevk 1 is a plan View of a rail joint, the

joint ties and e lll joint ,support yc'onstrn'cted according to the present invention;

Figure' 2, is a side elevation of the, Seme;

`line Are-4 of' Figure 1';

ties being omitted Figure is `a longitudinal section thereof on: nge 3-3o Fifgure l;

.l igure 4 1s a transverse vertical section on Figure 5 is al perspective view of one end ot the ra1l joint support, the rails and crossyFiglrure 6 is a perspective view of a portion oiv a novel fish plate forV use in conjunction 4with the joint support and Figure 7 shows respectively a plan and ide elevation-oi a clip used in` spacingr the rai-lis in relation to the sides ofthe joint support.'

ln the maintenance of railway track the largest proportion of the labor is expended at! the joints, which are the Weakest 'part "of the 'structure'7 largely because oli Vthe unsatisfactory splicing appliances and conditions. In the rollingr of all structural shapes, "T-rails included, th'e object rolled must be placed in such a position that there isno undercut of the rolls'. i. e. no portion of an object rolled can be wider at agiven point than it is at a point farther away from the ce'nterof 'the roll.l Itis Vtherefore obvious that a 'll-rail cannot be passed thru the rolls in a vertical position, buton 'the contrary must pass thru practically ilatwise and in so doing the hot metal ofthe ingot is pushed or crowded into that portion forming the head of the rail, which gets the greatest wear. This head therefore dees not receive the direct pressure or manipulation necessary'to furnish homogeneous and desirable material in it. Modern mill. practice has developed a means of running the rails thru the rolls so that they can beset at a slightv angle, producing a more direct pressure of the rolls on the head and base of the rail, thereby iinp'rmfin` the'quality of the mate! rialy in these parts. This "procedure necessarilyvresults in increasing the angle of the under part ofthe head andthe upperip'art of the base, this angle'ran'ging from 12'@ to "Vlg" lfi-ein A"the horizontal.

ltisbecause or this feature or 'modern Als that nthe 'inajerity ot the present day ico a wedge to drive the splice bars apart, there ordinarily being no support under the base of the rail to prevent their deflection or being driven down thru the splice bars. Present day rail practice requires that the abutting ends of the joining rails be spliced midway between two ties so that the ends of the splice plates comeabove these ties to receive; their support andV thus the rail joint is supported vfrom two ties rather than from one. The horizontal component of this thrust or wedge action is sustained by the splice bolts Vand the constantly applied andsevere pres` sure elongates them, and this pressure and rapid vibration causes the nuts to become loose, thus further allowingr the sphces to be wedgedapart by the rail driving Vdown thru them, and consequently become ineffective. With the splice thus impaired the load of passing' trains is not distributed thru the.

rail to several cross ties but is concentrated on the first joint tie as the wheel nears the end of the rail and immediately on the second joint tie as thewheel reaches or touches will not drain, and `with the constant churning and pressure on these joint ties the bal last'is turned into mud and a condition reached known as a pumping joint.f `These low or pumping joints are not only a source of poor riding track and expense in their correction, but also of danger, as the` uneven surface ofthe rails brings a jolt or` jar under fast Amoving trains that throws unduestress on the rail at these points, causingv many of them to fail. A large percentage y or to permitthe new joints to come whereV of broken rails and rail failures occur at joints because of these conditions.

In rail renewals, either because of a change-in the standard length of the rails, a slight permissible variation allowed the mills in rolling to a standard length, or a more accurate spacing at the joints for eX- pansion and contraction due to temperature changes, the location of the joints of rails laidrarely, if ever, coincideswit-h the lo-` cation of the joints of the rail removed... It is therefore necessary to expend cons1derj able labor in respacing the ties to fit the new joints with the disadvantage of changing their old and solid support on the roadbed,

they will,-disregarding the location of the joint bars on the ties. In this latter event it is highly probable that i-theends of the two rails may be directly over a cross tie while the ends of the splice bars joining the same may be in the space between two cross ties, or'perhaps'the ends of the rails and the ends ofthe splice barswill be in the space between two ties.

VV'th the above noted defects and difficulties irf view the present device has been designed to support the rails `at their base, to 'f' avoid the rails beingdriven thru the splice bars as a wedge, and to extend the su port of the rail to two or more cross ties, telus giving the rails at the joints a greater support. on the roadbed by being distributed over a greater number of cross ties, and consequently less likelihood of `the latter settlinp` in the ballast.

i Referring to the drawingsthere is disclosedat 10 and 11 a pair of rails abutting at 12, or rather being sufficiently spaced from each other at this point to allow for the necessary expansion and contraction dueV `to temperature changes. These rail ends are adapted to be secured togetherV by means of the fish plates or splice bars 13, which may be of any well-known form but are preferably of a special type to be laterdescribed. Their main function is to prevent relative transverse movement between the ends of the 'rails and to distribute the load from one rail to another and for this purpose they may be securely bolted to the webs of the rails by transverse bolts passing/thru both of the splice bars Vand the. web of the'rail as is wellknown. 1

To prevent the various'diiiculties menine tioned in the above discussion the ends of the rails adjacent the joint are adapted to be supported by the rail joint support of the present invention, generally disclosed at 14.' Broadly j, speaking, this comprises a channel or trough shaped member having1r a base `15 considerably wider'than the bases of the rails which rest upon it, havingr vertical or upwardly extendmgr sides or ilanmnfes` 16 anddown turned ends 17` on the base. The whole structureI is formed of a singi'le piece of metal bent orpressed intou the desired shape. The base or bottom portion 15is of such a length as to be supported preferably upon three cross ties,'as shown `in Figures-1,2 Vand 3, and forV this purpose is substantially flat, thus providing an adequate support `upon the ties. For a dis` tance somewhat less than the distance between the inner edges of the outside cross `ties,`and for a width less than the space between the vertical .flanges 16, this base 15 is slightly raised above the remainder thereof forming a step or seat 18 upon which the j bases of the rails rest, and which is designed to preventthe weight caused by the deflection of the rail from beingr concentrated on the outer ties and to distribute it over al1 ot the ties supporting the plate. This raised seat or base 18 1s also designed to act as a cushion or sprmg'anld by its resiliency to prevent damage to the rail from hammer blows `ot Wheels passing over the joint openings. rlhis raised seat or base may be given increased resiliency by providing ,it with transverse corrugations 19. These corrugations serve an additional purpose ot'- providing additional strength against bending or buckling transversely of the plate.'

The upwardly extending flanges 16 forining the sides of the trough are so shaped that their moment of inertia and section n'iodulus, which determines the stiffness and strength of the plate, increase in the same ratio as the stress from the ends toward the middle, Where these properties reach their maximum and at the point of maximum stress, this being accomplished by'changing the area and shape of the section and volume of the metal by progressive steps or increments from theends toward the midi dle, thus effecting a saving in material. lVhere it is not desirable to thicken the metal toward the center, owing to manufacturing ditliculties, the increased metal may be provided by retaining the same thickness and making the width much greater, in which case' the height may be reduced by folding over the widened portions as shown at 20.

The down turned ends 17, While not entirely essential to the operation of the device, add materially to its value in securing the plate against horizontal movement. These ends are adapted to abut against the outer sides of the outer ties as shown in Figure 3 and are perforated With elongated horizontal holes in order that bolts 17 may be passed thru these holes and extend approximately thru the neutral axis of the cross tie. To provide for ga-ging of the rails the ends of these down turned portions 17 are bent up at right angles, providing the ears or lugs 2l between which is adapted to closely fit the rectangular bar or Washer 22 provided With two sets of holes adapted to tit over the bolts thru the cross tie, the holes being so arranged that in the four possible positions of the bar or Washer the plate or joint support 14 Will be bodily moved horizontally, this movement being allowed for by the elongation of the holes in the down turned ends 17. Y

Intermediate the ends of the base plateit may be provided with similar down turned portions 23 punched out from lthe base 15. These down turned portions 23 may be provided With similar ears or lugs 24 on their ends adapted to accommodate Washers or plates 22for'the same purpose as the down turned endsv 1 7;I In addition they provide addedv transverse strength to the 4Whole structure. 'It it is preferred the-plate may be made Without the depending parts y17 and 23 and secured to the ties by the spikes that 'hold the rails in position.

The rails may be secur d to the ties by spikes vdriven thru pertorations` 25 in the base plate butpreterably are secured by clips Q6, bolted down to the rail by bolts 27 extending upi-vardly thru the holes 25 in the base plate and provided with suitable lock WashersV and nuts. By referring to liligure'i' it will beV seen that these clips comprise substantially square members 26 provided With a reduced neck 26 on either side thereof, which necks are square in cross section and joined by the sloping parts 26 to the square edges ot the whole clip. A hole 28 passes thru the center ot each clip but the reduced necks are eccentric to this hole so that by placing either side of the clip down in succession there are eight possible different distances from the side ot' the neck engaging the rail to the center hole thereby providing eight transverse adjustments for the rail. The hol-es are concentric in respect to the outer edges ot the clips, which outer edges are thus always adapted tol abut against the insides ot' the vertical flanges 16 of the joint support plate and as clearly shown in Figure 1 when the inner edges of the necks abut the bases of the rails the Wider portions of the clips extend over the bases to hold them in position and the outer edges oi' these Wider portions contact With the inner faces of the Vertical flanges 16,` thus positively spacing the rail in its desired position from thesides 18, which spacing is subject to eight adjustments by rotation and inversion ot the clips as previously described. This adjustment Jnrt-her allows for the use of the rail joint support on curves and curved sections et rails Yfor the adjustable feature ot the clips together with their possible longitudinal arrangement oiving to the provision 'of a large number oit the pertorations 25 alleivs for the accommodation ot the curved rails between thetlanges of the joint support. All of these adjustments provide for a prop` er gaging ol the rails in addition to the vgag*- ing adjustments provided by the plates or Washers 22 previously described.

The fish plates or splice bars which are particularly adapted to be used in connection with 'the present invention, but which may also be ofgeneral utility in connection with any type of rail joint, are designed to be reversible. They are 'bestshown in Figure 4 and 6, where it- Will be noticed that the angle of the upper, inner, head supporting edge 30 is thesame as the lower, outer edge 31, which in the position shown. in Figure 4:.is not in use. The diagonally opposite faces 32 and 33 .are 'correspondi gly inclined. rlfliese faces areso inclined to eommodate 'rails Where the angle of the unj corresponding condition occurs derside of the head isldiferent from the upunworn surface presented, thus providing an economical feature. The ish plates are, of course, built as double bulb beams having the narrow or thin web portion 34.

The splice bars or fish plat-es may be joined to the rails in the usual ina-nner, by having bolts passing thru `the holes 35 in the two fish plates and corresponding holes in. the webs of the rails, but it is desirable in connection with the present invention to provide a plurality of holes 35" along the neutral axes of the upwardly extending side flanges 16 of the rail joint support to coincide with the various positions of the bolt holes in the webs of the rails and splice bars thru which bolts 36 may extend to secure both the rails and the fish plates in place to thus hold or anchor the rails against longitudinal Vmovement or creeping. As shown in Figure 2, a number of thesebolts with their heads 37 on the outside ot the vertical flanges 16 project from either flange thru the rails and both fish plates andare provided with nuts 38 on thesides opposite from their heads. These may be suflicient to retain the fish plates in position but exert some side strain upon the vertical flanges L6 and to eliminate this it will bevfound desirable tothread the bolts 36 for a sufiicient distance so that a lock nut may be placed thereon to engage with the fish plate not engaged by t-he nuts 38, and thus the fish plates may to secure them very tightly in position and the bolt heads then serve only to prevent rela-tive movement by the rails and the joint support. lVhere the bolt holes in the railA webs are not in the centerof the fishing space, the reversible fish plates are provided with two sets of bolt holes to permit them to be reversed. The center of each set ofholes is to be spaced the same distance vertically from the center of the fishing space.

i The joint support forming part of the present invention is not limited in its use to the particular type of fish plates just described, but any suitable fish plates to secure the rails is all that is ordinarily required alf tho any form of' joint bars or splices that do not extend'below the base of therail may be used. Since the joint support isof such a be clamped between two nutsV length as to be supported byl two or more ties as may be desired, and whereof ay length to be supported by three or more ties, the conditions recited in the beginning of thisspecification, such as having the ends of the rails and the ends of the splice barsin the same `opening between two ties, where ties are not can thus belocated anywhere and the rail joint allowed to come where it will and not necessarily in they center of the length of the support. The construction `of the support is such that it can be used not only at joints but j anywhere along the rail length where added .support is needed or desirable, or, in fact,

can be used under the whole length of the rails.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A rail joint support having a base materially wider than the base. flange of a rail adapted to rest on more than two cross ties, said support being so shaped that the section modulus increases in the same ratio from `end` to center as does the applied stress.

2. A rail joint support comprising a unitary lstructure having a base materially wider than the base flange of a rail and adapted to rest on at least three cross ties so shaped that the moment of inertia of transverse sections thereof increases from the ends toward the center in the same ratio as the applied stress.

3. A rail joint support comprising a unitary trough shaped structure having a base materially wider .than the base flange of a rail to be placed beneath a rail joint to support the same, said structure being soshaped and the material thereof so disposed that the moment of inertia and section modulus increases from the ends toward the center in the same ratio as the applied stress.

4. A railjoint support including, in combination, a trough .shaped structure adapted to support the bases of `the joined rails, a base therefor adaptedto rest on a plurality of cross ties and means reinforcing said base and over at least one tie.

5. A rail joint support including, in combination, a trough shaped structure adapted to support the bases ofjoined rails, said trough being substantially wider than said bases, a base therefor adapted to rest on a plurality of `cross ties and elevated transverse corrugationsA reinforcing said base.

transversely throughout most of its length -itl 6. A rail joint support including, in combination, a trough shaped structurepadapted to support the bases of' joinedrails, a base therefor adapted to rest on a plurality 'of cross elevated transverse corrugation's on said base and flanges dependent there# from for thepurpose described.

. 7. Ai'ail joint supportincluding, vin corn'- bination, a trough shaped structure adapted' to support 'the' bases of joined rails, an integral base therefor adapted to rest on a pluiality of ties, an elevated seat on said Vbase for said rails and means integral with vsaid base adapted to be secured to the side of the' tie.

8. A rail joint support including, in combination, a trough shaped structure adapted to support the bases of joined rails, a base therefor adapted to rest on a plurality of ties a resilient elevated seat on said base for sind rails, said seat being corrugated and means to space said rail bases from the sides o f sa id trough.

9. A ra il joint support including, in conibin ation, a 'trough shaped structure. adapted to support the bases of joined rails, a base for adapted to rest on aplurality of lies and' a' resilient elevated seat on said base for said rails, said seat being transversely corrugated.

tl0. ln a rail jointV support, in combina-A tion, a trough-shaped structure adapted to support the bases of joined rails inclii'dingv a base adapted to rest on a plurality of ties,

side members spaced from said rails to allow clearance for the joining means, an elevated scat on said base for said rails and means to secure said rail bases directly to said seat.

11. A rail joint support including, in combination, a trough shaped structure adapted to support the bases of joined rails, a base therefor' having an elevated portion, side `[langes on said base spaced apart a distance greater than the width of said rail bases, means to secure said rail bases to'said elevated portion of said trough base, including clips and bolts, said clips overlying said rail bases and positively spacing them from said side flanges and said bolts passing through said base only.

12. A rail joint support including, in combination, a trough shaped structuie adapted to support the bases of'. joined railsa base therefor, side fianges on said base spaced apart a distance greater than the width of said rail bases, means to secure said rail bases to said trough base, including clips, said clips overlying said rail bases, being bolted to the trough base and having eccentric necks and concentric flanges whereby to adjust said rail base from said side flanges.y

13. The combination with a rail having a base and a joint support having a side inember, of a clip having a flange provided with a central opening, the edge oflsaid iiange being adapted to abut said side member, a neck on r,onlie side of said flange eccentric to said opening,jsaid neck adapted to abut' said rail base, said opening adapted to fitover a liii'e'd stop about which said clip may be rotated.

ln-a rail securing clip,fin combination,

aneck, a flange extending laterally from one end of said neck beyond the edges thereof' and eccentric thereto', a second neck on the opposite side of said flange and having a different eccentricity thereto, said cli-p" having a. holeJ therethru adapted toreceive' a bolt, saidflrole being eccentric tothe edges of s'aid necks and concentric to the edges of said flange.

15t In a rail securing clip, in combination, a' pair eof spaced necks', square in plan, a square flange between andi projecting beyond the edges oi saidv necks, said clip having a holetherethiiiu equally spaced 'lironiea'ch edge of saidy flange and being a different distance from each edgefof each neck.

16. A rail joint support adapted to sup'- port the bases of rails joined any ordinary splice, bars or fish plates including' inr combination` a ione-piece base, side flanges projecting upwardly therefrom, a railv resting on said base spaced from said fianges and having perforations in'` the web thereof, perforations in said side fianges, and *teninea'nspass'lng thrup'erforations' of each part and preventiiig relative longitudinal movement between* said joint support and 'the rail and maintaining the spacing of said rail from said flanges.

. 17. A non-spacing rail joint support adapted for use with any common type of splice bar and including a base, reinforcing flanges thereon, a rail joint on said base entirely spaced from said flanges, the rails thereof' having perforated webs, holes substantially along the neutral' axes of said flanges and bolts thru said holes and perforations to prevent relative longitudinal and transverse movement between the rails and support.

18. A non-spacing rail joint support in-` cluding in combination with abutting rails and fish plates, a base beneath the iails, side flanges thereon having holes along their neu-v in combination, a base plate adapted to ex `tend over and be supported by ay plurality of ties, means to secure rails thereto with their joint anywhere along said base and `means to secure said base to said ties substantially at their neutral axes.

20. In a nonspacing rail jointsupport, in combination, a base plate adapted to extend lll) over and be supported by a plurality of ties, means to secure rails thereto with their joint anywhere along said base, flanges depending from said plate and means to secure said flanges to the sides of cross tiessub-` stantially at their neutral axes.

21; In a non-spacing rail joint support, yin

combination, a base plate adapted to extend on a plurality of cross-ties, means to secure rails to said plate against movement transverse thereto, a depending flange on said plate, lugs on the ends of said flange, a perforated plate adapted to `fit between said lugs, said flange being provided with elon-l gated openings, and bolts passing thru said plate, flange and the neutral axis of a supporting tie, cthe holes in saidplate `being so spaced that lateral adjustment of said base plate `may be effected to gauge the rails of a track. y

23. In a non-spacing rail joint support, in combination, a base plate adapted to reston a plurality of cross-ties, means to secure rails to said plate against movement transverse thereto,` a depending flange on said plate, lugs on the ends of said flange, a perforated late adapted to fit between said lugs, said flange being provided with elongated openings, and bolts passing thru said plate, flange and the neutral axis of a supporting tie, the holes in said plate being so spaced that it may be reversed to effect lateral adjustment of said base plate.

Y 24. In a non-spacing rail jointsupport, in combination, a base plate adapted to rest on a plurality of crossties, means to secure rails to said plate against movement transverse thereto, a depending flange on said plate,lugs on the ends of said flange, a perfor-ated plate adapted to fit between said lugs, said flange being provided with elongated openings, and bolts passing thru said plate,'flange andthe neutral axis of a supporting tie, ,the holes in said late being so spacedV that it may be inverte t0 'effect lateral adjustment of' said baseplate.-

25. In a rail joint support, in combination, a base plate adapted to `be supported by a pluralit of cross-ties, side flanges thereon spacedy from the rail joint, a raised rail seat narrower `and shorter than said plate and means to secure said rail bases directly to said seat.

` In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

` WILLIAM Gr. COUGHLIN. 

